Chapter 671: Peace Talks

A group of Divine Kings stared in stunned silence at the defensive divine array deployed by Ding Huan.

Rather than a defensive divine array, it was more like a slaughter divine array.

At least a hundred thousand divine clan cultivators had died outside the great array, and even more had perished within it.

Yet this was not the most terrifying part—the most terrifying was that hundreds of cultivators stood helplessly along the edge of the array.

They were right at the edge of the array, yet they were still alive.

Anyone who wasn't a fool could see these hundreds were human cultivators.

That meant this great array could distinguish between human and divine clan cultivators, then selectively kill every single divine clan cultivator.

Gu Sen's face turned pale; he had ascended to Divine King status countless years ago.

Had it not been for various reasons trapping him here, he would have long since touched the Union with the Divine realm.

He had fought against the divine clan, the Buddhist sect, the Daoist sect, humans, beast clans—you name it—what slaughter techniques had Gu Sen not seen?

Yet he had truly never witnessed anything so horrifying.

He simply could not tell how these divine clan disciples had died—and worse, how they had been selectively chosen for death.

A Divine King standing beside Gu Sen noticed his terror and immediately said: "Sa Li, lead your team to attack the protective array."

A Divine Lord cultivator who had been waiting on the sidelines immediately summoned over a hundred divine clan cultivators to launch their artifacts toward the protective array.

Yet the moment they touched the protective array—even before they could strike—the hundred divine clan cultivators collapsed one after another.

No, two remained alive.

The two who lived were also human cultivators.

Aside from these two living human cultivators, the Divine Lord cultivator desperately retreated—he had barely reached the front of several Divine Kings when he clutched his throat and fell dead.

Gu Sen's body trembled slightly; such a slaughter technique was unheard of to him.

It was as if this were a great array specifically designed to exterminate divine clan cultivators.

Even if human and divine clan cultivators charged into this array together, only the divine clan cultivators would die—the array inflicted not a single scratch upon the humans.

When the array carried out its slaughter, there was no attack aura, no visible technique.

Death came utterly silently.

The sun blazed overhead.

Gu Sen felt a chill crawl up his spine.

One Divine King unleashed his wolf-tooth mace, flashed forward, and slammed the weapon into the protective array, unleashing waves of slaughter aura.

Boom!

The protective array shuddered, and faint cracking sounds echoed from within.

The Divine King quickly retreated, daring not to strike a second time.

"What's going on, Kai Yi Divine King?" Gu Sen asked urgently.

The Divine King who had struck the array finally exhaled, halting his motion:

"This protective array is dangerous. When I attacked, a terrifying aura—likely slaughter aura—tried to merge into my Dao. I blocked it."

If I'm not mistaken, the divine clan cultivators who died earlier perished because of this terrifying slaughter aura.

I could block it, but lower-level divine clan disciples probably couldn't."

After speaking, Kai Yi Divine King felt he hadn't been thorough enough, so he added: "I also sensed a poison Dao principle hidden within the array.

If we don't attack the array, this poison Dao principle remains concealed—but the moment we strike, it erupts."

Gu Sen Divine King exhaled slightly: "Everyone, attack together. But be careful—do not let the slaughter aura enter your bodies."

Yet the moment he finished speaking, the protective array emitted an arrogantly brazen voice: "Old bastard, don't blame your Lord Huan for not warning you.

If you dare strike my protective array one more time, your Lord Huan will wipe out the entire divine clan. And your Lord Huan will personally come to guard this slaughter array with you.

Believe your Lord Huan—leave now. Don't believe your Lord Huan? Then strike again and see what happens."

Ding Huan had been alerted by Kai Yi Divine King's attack.

He paid no attention when ordinary low-grade beasts or low-level divine clan cultivators struck his Gene Slaughter Array.

But when a Divine King attacked, that was a different matter entirely.

His Gene Slaughter Array, though powerful, couldn't kill a Divine King.

But he absolutely would not let his slaughter array be destroyed by Divine Kings—otherwise, with these Divine Kings interfering, he and Mo Changcan could never set up such an array a second time.

Gu Sen Divine King's face froze; he halted his movement.

He truly dared not provoke Ding Huan.

This slaughter array was too terrifying.

Moreover, this slaughter array was already a Level Seven Divine Array—if all of them attacked together, they could destroy it.

On the condition that no one guarded it.

Such a terrifying array, plus a dedicated guardian—what the hell could he break?

Though Gu Sen desperately wanted to keep attacking, he dared not take the risk.

This was clearly set up by some great human cultivator who likely didn't wish to join the great war between humans and the divine clan, so he'd pre-arranged this array here.

Although this array violated the agreement between the divine clan and humans, Gu Sen dared not utter a single word.

After all, the divine clan's plan to attack from here also violated the agreement.

"Leave," Gu Sen immediately decided—no reckless action here.

According to his plan, the divine clan would shatter the protective arrays of several major sects along the Great Star Wasteland Range, then encircle the Human War Platform.

Once all the human War Platform Divine Kings were slaughtered, the Upper Divine Realm would become the divine clan's backyard. He had never imagined that within the Great Star Wasteland Range lurked such a terrifying slaughter array that devoured divine clan cultivators.

He dared not gamble.

If this terrifying slaughter technique continued to affect the divine clan, even if some survived, there would likely be only a handful of Divine Kings left.

"Wait…" That abrupt voice inside the great array called out to Bone Forest again.

Bone Forest stopped walking.

He did not turn around, nor did he speak.

Though he feared this killing array, even felt a pang of dread, he was still the First Divine King of the Shenzu Sect.

"Remember this: not a single ant of the Shenzu Sect shall set foot in the Dao Xu. Otherwise, I will leave not a single hair of the Shenzu Sect in the Divine Realm."

"I'm not joking with you, nor am I threatening you—I'm merely telling you a fact. Leave."

Bone Forest's finger bones nearly shattered; he had no choice but to retreat, obeying the master of this killing array.

He was seething inside—what battles had he not endured these years?

This was the first time he had ever been ordered to leave without even seeing his opponent.

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He had to leave anyway.

Ding Huan, watching from the surveillance divine array, sighed in relief as the group of Divine Kings withdrew.

He claimed it wasn't a threat, but it was clearly a threat.

To kill the entire Shenzu Sect, he would need to enter Shenzu territory and plant the gene-killing law.

His current strength could not possibly achieve this.

If these Divine Kings forcibly attacked his array, he would be powerless to stop them.

He could only halt his cultivation and hold his ground against these fools.

He set up this array to cultivate—how could he abandon cultivation and waste time with these bastards?

As for Shenzu cultivators entering the Dao Xu, Ding Huan absolutely could not allow it.

The Dao Xu contained those terrifying roots.

He suspected the Shenzu Sect's intent to enter the Dao Xu might be for those very roots.

He was deeply embroiled in hatred with both the Shenzu Sect and the roots.

If Shenzu cultivators entered the Dao Xu and those roots, with their aid, grew to a height beyond his reach, wouldn't he have to flee again?

So he must prevent this before it happened.

…

Great Battlefield, Human Council Hall.

Though they had negotiated for one or two days, no viable solution had been reached.

Some sect leaders had already prepared to withdraw from the Upper Divine Lands.

Alliance Master Yuan Qing felt utter despair.

He knew well: once humans withdrew from the Great Battlefield, they would never rise again.

The atmosphere in the council hall was terrifyingly silent—until an abrupt voice shattered the silence.

"Alliance Master, the Shenzu Sect has sent envoys to negotiate peace."

The Shenzu Sect voluntarily seeks peace?

The news left nearly everyone stunned.

The Shenzu Sect clearly intended to seize not only the Upper Divine Lands but also the Dao Xu Street—how could they possibly send envoys to negotiate?

"Quickly, bring the peace envoys in!" Yuan Qing suddenly stood up, nearly shouting.

The man who entered was recognized by many: Divine King Kai Yi of the Shenzu Sect.

The Shenzu Sect sending a Divine King to negotiate clearly treated this matter with great importance.

"Divine King Kai Yi, please sit." Yuan Qing smiled broadly, as if his wounds had already healed considerably.

He noticed Kai Yi's expression was surprisingly courteous, as if he held no superiority over them—this eased his breath.

"Alliance Master Yuan, esteemed sect leaders. The Shenzu Sect and the Human Race have always coexisted in harmony, maintaining friendly relations. Alas, over a trivial matter, we have descended into this chaos—it is truly lamentable."

Kai Yi began with a sigh, his tone even tinged with sorrow.

The others exchanged glances—what was this supposed to mean?

They had fully prepared for the Shenzu Sect to seize the Dao Xu.

Yet now, the visitor recalled past golden days and lamented the prior battles.

This tone felt wrong.

"Therefore, on behalf of the Shenzu Sect, I come to negotiate peace with the Human Race, hoping our two races may coexist peacefully, in kinship and love, and never again descend into such a scene no one wishes to see…"

Yuan Qing and the sect leaders finally understood.

They truly had come to negotiate peace.

Yuan Qing spoke solemnly: "The Human Race has long wished to negotiate peace with the Shenzu Sect. As Divine King Kai Yi said, our two races have always shared deep friendship—how could we turn blades against each other?

The more we harm each other, the more we delight those treacherous foreign races, who now watch our homeland with hungry eyes…

On behalf of the Human Race, I offer to cede the Dao Xu to Shenzu control. If the Shenzu Sect agrees, please carve out a passage allowing our people to enter the Dao Xu for trials.

Of course, this matter ultimately rests with the Shenzu Sect's decision…"

"No." A palm slammed onto the table; a man covered in wounds stood up.

This time, everyone recognized him: Shu Ziche, the leader of the Qishendao Sect.

(End of Chapter)